Hypertension, the medical condition most people commonly call High Blood Pressure, affects millions of people in the United States. The causes are numerous, as are the potential treatments. However, the only success is lower numbers for a patient’s high blood pressure reading.
It is the blood pressure reading that is the indicator of successful treatment. For most people, that reading is obtained through a blood pressure cuff.
Previously, these readings were obtained only by a healthcare professional. Today, many people take their own reading, in their homes, or from a machine in grocery and retail stores. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) of your blood pressure readings can provide your physician with a large amount of data for the most effective treatment choice.
A single blood pressure reading cannot show if a treatment is effective or has made the situation worse. It is through the accumulation of many readings over a time period that can show what is effective or ineffective. Furthermore, many patients have higher blood pressure readings at the doctor’s office due to “white coat” syndrome. The stress of an immediate reading that is judged by your doctor can increase anxiety, causing a higher blood pressure reading than what the true numbers should be.
Through Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), patients can daily take their blood pressure reading in the convenience of their homes. That daily reading is encrypted and sent through a secure cloud connection. Daily readings graphed over a time period can show a physician what changes in treatment are effective and which are not. Daily readings remove “white coat” anxiety.
Which patients can benefit from RPM for hypertension? Obviously, those with hypertension. But high blood pressure is often a symptom of many other medical conditions and maladies, including:
- Kidney Disease
- Kidney Infections
- Diabetes
- Sleep Apnea
- Lupus
- Underactive Thyroid
- Scleroderma
- Glomerulonephritis
- Cushing’s Syndrome
- Many others
Certain medications may have, as a side effect, higher blood pressure. These include:
- The Contraceptive Pill
- Steroids
- NSAIDs
- Serotonin-Noradrenaline
- Reuptake Inhibitors
- Venlafaxine
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines
And many lifestyle choices also effective blood pressure, including:
- Obesity
- Smoking
- High Salt Intake (Sodium)
- High Amounts of Caffeine
- Stress
- Inactivity
- Ethnicity (particularly people of African or Caribbean descent)
- Advanced Years
Physicians have many options when treating Hypertension. The first option should be lifestyle changes. Changing diet and exercise can often be the most effective and lasting option for improving overall health, including blood pressure. Unfortunately, this is not an option that many people choose.
Some medical options for treatment include:
- ACE Inhibitors like enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril and ramipril.
- Angiotensin-2 receptor blockers including irbesartan, losartan, valsartan, candesartan and Olmesartan
- Calcium channel blockers, including verapamil, nifedipine, diltiazem
- Diuretics including indapamide and Bendroflumethiazide
- Beta Blockers, including atenolol and bisoprolol
However, each of these contains some risks and potentially negative side effects. The bigger question is: DO ANY OF THESE WORK?
If a medical plan is developed to lower blood pressure, would it not behoove both patient and doctor to know if the treatment works? How can a doctor and the patient know if the medical plan is working?
Remote daily monitoring of blood pressure can clearly show in a small number of days or weeks if a drug or lifestyle change is making a difference in a person’s high blood pressure numbers.
If your physician says you have any of the ailments and recommends any treatment, ask to have Remote patient Monitoring included in the healthcare plan. The best part of any plan is knowing whether it works or not.
Remote patient monitoring can also empower patients to be more engaged in their healthcare. There are several benefits of this greater engagement. Furthermore, if a patient with hypertension desires a form of alternative medicine, RPM can quickly show if their suggestion has merit or not.
What is the cause of hypertension? There are many variables.
What are the treatments for hypertension? There are many options.
How to see if the treatment is effective? There is only one way; consistent and numerous blood pressure readings. That is what RPM is.
Medek RPM can help. Call us today to ensure the plan to lower your blood pressure is effective.
